The Matchup of the Century (Dane)
Overview The Battle of the Century was a matchup held on the first week of the 2024 College Football season at Bryant-Denny Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. In this matchup, football powerhouse Alabama hosted a matchup against the Western Kentucky Hilltoppers, led by senior Quarterback Dane Hammond. Since he took over in his freshman year, Western Kentucky had won 42 games in a row and has not lost even once since the 2019 season. Going into 2024, the Hilltoppers were ranked 7th in the preseason poll, the 2nd highest pre season ranking for a group of five team in AP Poll history. On the other end was Alabama, a long time power coached by Nick Saban, widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all time. Alabama was ranked number 1 unanimously in both the AP Poll and the Coaches Poll. They were coming off a national championship win in the previous year against a surprise cinderella in Lovie Smith's Illinois. Alabama was favored to win this game by 22 points. It was broadcasted on ABC to a national television audience in a 7pm timeslot. Broadcast This was the first SEC game aired since the expiration of the media deal with CBS at the end of the 2023 season, putting the SEC on ABC for the first time. CBS's old commentators, Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson, had both signed with ABC and remained with the team. The broadcast team discussed how Alabama was heavily favored due to the rambunctious crowd and Western Kentucky's "small school" status creating doubts about the team's ability to handle the circumstances. In the pregame show prior to the broadcast, every expert picked Alabama to cover the spread and win by 30+ points, stating that the line of Alabama by 22 was "generous" to Western Kentucky. At the opening coin toss, Alabama won the toss and elected to defer to the second half, leaving Western Kentucky with the ball first. First Quarter As was expected, Alabama unleashed early dominance after a quick 45 yard field goal from Western Kentucky gave them a 3-0 lead. Alabama scored on a 28 yard touchdown pass with 7 minutes left to spare. Upon getting the ball back, Hammond throws a crucial interception which Alabama returns for a touchdown. Alabama scored yet another touchdown, this time on the ground, to make it 21-3 before the first quarter even ended. Second Quarter In the second quarter, the Hilltoppers destruction only continued. Alabama scored three touchdowns over the course of this quarter, two via passing touchdowns and one on the ground. Western Kentucky was unable to score in this quarter, causing this game to get really out of hand. It became 42-3 Alabama at halftime. At halftime, the broadcasters spoke about how Western Kentucky was out of the game and that the 42 game winning streak would end in Tuscaloosa. Little did they know how wrong they would be... Second Half: A comeback for the ages Alabama started the second half with the ball, and scored a field goal to make it 45-3, but that was the largest the lead would get. On the opening drive of the second half, things started to click for the Hilltoppers. They marched on an 80 yard touchdown drive culminating with a 10 yard run from Hammond. This makes it 45-10. The defense forces a three and out, and Alabama punts it back. Several minutes later, Western Kentucky finds another touchdown, this time through the air. 45-17 Alabama. On the next Alabama possession, they throw an interception, and the Hilltoppers take one play the distance on offense to inch within three scores at 45-24. Alabama eventually punts back, but it's deep, and Western Kentucky gives up a safety to make it 47-24. Now at the start of the fourth quarter, The Hilltoppers down 23 points, they are back in the game but still need a lot to pull out the win. They get this wish when just 18 seconds into the quarter, Hammond throws a 56 yard Touchdown pass to make it 47-31 and bring it within two touchdowns. Alabama fails to respond and punts it back. With 10 minutes left in the fourth, Western Kentucky finally brings it back to a one possession game on the ground and with the conversion to make it 47-39 Alabama. Alabama strikes a big play on the next drive. This results in a field goal and gives Alabama some breakaway to secure the game, at 50-39. But the Hilltopper offense just cannot be stopped. They score yet again with four minutes on the clock, and go for two to bring it within three, only to fail. This makes it 50-45. Alabama gets the ball back and responds with another field goal, making it 53-45 Alabama. But they may have left too much time left. The Hilltoppers just keep driving against the rambunctious Alabama crowd of 102,000 in Bryant-Denny. 20 yards, 12 yards, 7 yards, 17 yards through the air. Just kept going. With 1:07 left on the clock, they punched it in from 3 yards out. The two point conversion fails, however, leaving it at a 53-51 Alabama advantage. Western Kentucky goes all in and kicks the onside. In the stunning series of events that followed, the onside kick is picked up by an Alabama player, who returns it to midfield. The senior quarterback, for some reason, is on the field for the kickoff, and forces a fumble, falling on the ball. The crowd erupted in protest at the legality of the move, but he was ruled eligible prior to the kick so the play is reviewed and remains entirely legal. Over the next minute, they drive slowly down to the Alabama 35 yard line. With five seconds left, they bring out the kicker, who nails in the 52 yard kick to make it 54-53 Hilltoppers. The kickoff enters desperation mode, but it gets nowhere, and the game ends. Reactions The Alabama fans boo and throw beer bottles at Western Kentucky as they enter the locker room. Nick Saban goes into hiding for the next two days, "allegedly" coming down with a case of strep throat. During this, massive protests stage across most of Alabama and especially in Tuscaloosa, where people fly banners saying "FIRE NICK SABAN" ''and ''"DON'T LET QUARTERBACKS DO EVERYTHING". Meanwhile, at Western Kentucky, all Monday classes were cancelled and a parade was thrown for the football team, which has achieved new heights. The 42 point comeback was the largest comeback in football history. Western Kentucky later became the first group of five team to enter the College Football Playoff, being ranked 3rd in the final rankings. They would go on to win the national championship.